Tire-shoe.



A. MACMILLAN.

TIRE SHOE.

APPLlcArlN man :una s 19u. l ,27 6,789 e Patented Aug. 27, 1918. 5 asHEETs-SHEET 1.

-7- 2 i? A Y n 'Lg-rf A. MACMILLAN.

TIRE SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9 |917.

l,276,?89. Patented Aug. 27, 19m

3 SHEFJS-SHEET 2. l Z 5 10 l mm 1| I. Il

A. MACMILLAN.

TIRE SHOE. APPLxcATloN FILED JUNEs Isn.

lf -Y Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ABRAM MAQMILLAN, 'or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TIRE-SHOE. Y

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 27, 1918".

Application filed .Tune 9, 1917. Serial No. 1732700.

-To all whom it may concern.' i

Ycertain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clean-.and eXact kdescription of' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andV to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of armored tire shoe or metal traction rim adapted to be engaged periplierally around the rubber outer casing. of a vehicle tire to protect and increase the traction of the tire, and furthermore prevent skidding of the vehicle wheel to which it is attached.

It is an object of this invention to provide al non-skid metal tire slice for vehicle tires. H

It is valso an object of this invention to construct a linked metaltraction rim adapted to engage around the yperiphery yof a tire casing before inflation, and adapted to fit snugly therearoundwhen the tire casing is inflated to preventskiddingand increasethe life of the tire casing. n f

Itl is furthermore an important object of this invention to create a flexible outer tread casing for a vehicle tire comprising a plurality of interconnected metal heel plates or shoes, said tread casing mounted around the outer periphery of the tire` before the same is inflated, and securely held in position by inflatingthe tire to force the same into a tight fit with the tread casing to prevent removal thereof.

It is an important object of this invention to construct a simple and efficient outer armored tire shoe for vehiclev tires, embracing movably connected tread plates to increase the traction of thetires and prevent skidding.

Other and further important objects of Y this invention will be apparent from the disclosure in the drawings and specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of a vehicle wheel equipped with a tire shoe embodying the principles of this invention. Y

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2 of Fig, 1-. l Y

Fig, S is a reduced section taken on line 3-3 of 2, showing the fragmentary portion of the wheel in elevation.l

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the tirel shoe. A d

Fig. 5` is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of the tread of a tire shoe mounted upon a tire casing, parts of which arerbroken away. *j y ,Y f x Fig.k 6 is a side elevational view of a por# tion of the tire shoe showing two adjacent members thereof movedl into a 'position to engage oneanother and showing the normal position of said members in dotted lines.V

Fig. 7 is an end view of a modified formof a traction heel plate. y l

F ig,y 8 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the Vtread portion thereof.

Fig. l0 isaplan view of the4 tread ,of a' fragmentary portion of another modified formof tire shoe mounted upon a portion of a `tire casing.

Fig. ll is a fragmentary side elevation ofy a portion of a tire casing` equipped with the modified tire shoe shown in Fig. 1,0.

Fig. 1Q is an endlelevational view of two connected ,heel plates of the type' shown in Fig. 10, showing the method of engaging one with the other. f l

kFig, `13 is a top plan view of one of the heel plates shownV in Fig. 712.

.As sho-wn on the drawings: n f f `The reference numeraljl, `indicates a spoke of a vehicle wheel, and'Z, the felly thereof, upon which ismounted a metal rim 3, for

holding a rubber tire casing 4,1 in positionY upon said wheel. @Removably` mounted upon theouter periphery of the tire casing 4f, to inclose the same, is a continuous chain, tire shoe, traction rim, or flexible ktread .casing embodying the principles of this invention,

andv comprising a plurality of similarlycon-` structed shoes or tread plates, each einbracing a unitary casting consisting of a concave plate 5, having integrally formed on' eachVV plane of said arms withthe ends of said hooks spaced ai short L distance apart, as,

clearly shown in Fig. 5. Formed integrally below the concave plate 5, is a spirally twisted tapered heel or tread block 8, the base of which is flat and is slightly twisted at an angle with respect to the sides ofthe concave plate 5. Integrally formed between each of the arms 6,' and the heel 8, is a reinforcing rib or web 9. To form the continugether, as shown in Fig.. 6, to permit a link n 10, to engage over the ends of said hooks.

- flated f with air.

The shoes are then movedy away from each other intothe dotted line position of Fig. 6,

with the links 10 connecting the shoes to form a continuous armored link belt which may be disposed around the outer periphery of the tire casing 4, beforethe same is in- The concave `surfaces of the shoe plates 5, form the inner periphery of the link belt, and are disposed to lie adjacent thefouter periphery of the'tire casing and form a groove into which the tire casing is forced to seat snugly'therein when air is pumped into the tire casing to inflate the same. To prevent the heat from the metal link, causedby therolling of the armored link belt on the ground, from being transmitted to the rubber tire casing, a strip of insulation 11, of any desired kind is placed between the link belt and the tire casing, as shown in F ig. 2.

In the modified form of shoe casting shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the construction is the same as .that already described, except thata tapered ribV or liange 12, is integrally formed lcentrally and longitudinally on the bottom of the heel 8, and is inclined with respect to the sides of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 9, thus forming shoes which may be readily connected together by metal links engaging adjacent hooks 7, to form a continuous link belt n or chain adapted for tractor use.

F igs.l 10 to 13, inclusive, disclose another modied form of tire shoe or continuous link belt made up of a plurality of shoes or tread plates, each comprising a concave plate 13, having an outwardly extending lug or arm 14, integrally formed on yeach end thereof and bent at an angle to the ends of said concave plate. Formed integrally at right angles on one side of each of the arms 14, is an outwardly projecting hook or curved iinger`15, while in the opposite side of yeach of said arms, alined with each of said hooks, 1s an opening or aperture 16. In-

tegrally formed on the bottom of the concave plate 18,l is a heel or tread block 17, the outer end of which'is slightly twisted with respect to the inner end thereof to lie at an angle with respect to the sides of the shoe,

as'shown in Fig. 10. To reinforce the arms Y 14, a rib or web 18, is integrally formed between each end of the heel 17, and the arms 14. To connect the shoes to form a con-` tinuous tire shoe or link belt, the unitary shoe castings are positioned, as shown in Fig. 12, with thesides of the arms 14, opposite the hooked sides of one shoe stated at right angles in the hooks 15, of another shoe, to permit the ends of the hooks of the secondV shoeto engage in the'apertures 1.6,' of the first shoe when it is moved Vinto the dotted line position shown in Fig. 12, thus forming a ieXible tire shoe, the ends of which may beV connected together to form a continuous link belt adapted to be engaged around the outer periphery of a tire casing 4, before the samer is inflated. The tire Vcasing is adapted to seattightly in the groove formed by the concave plates 13,' when the Vtire casing is iniated with air, thus holding the continuous tire shoe in `position upon a vehicle wheel. I j

The operation of the tire shoe when mounted upon the rubbertire casing of a vehicle wheel is believed to be evident from the drawings, -the tire shoe being'held secured-in position by iniating the tire with air. The exibility of the tire shoe, of course, permits the same to readily adapt itself to any irregularities in the road `bed over which a vehicle is run. The peculiar twisted construction of the outer or bearing ends ofthe heels 8, tends to prevent skidding.Y j'

To detach the tire shoe from a vehicle wheel, the air in the tire must rst be allowed toescape, thereby permitting the tire shoe to be loosened sufficiently to permit the same to be slipped off ofthe tire casing, or allowing two adjacent shoe castings t0 be moved into the position shown in Fig. 6, for the removal of the links 10, connecting said shoe castings.

I am aware that various details of construction may bev varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwisethan necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I Aclaim as my invention:

1. A flexible link belt comprising a plurality of removably connected concave shoes, and hooks directed inwardly toward one another integrally formed on the end of said concave shoe adapted vto permit said concave shoes to be removably connected one to another to form the flexible link belt.

2. In a device of the class describedJ aA plurality of interconnected tread blocks, each comprising a concave portion, arms integral with the ends thereof, inwardly directed curved members integral with each of said arms to permit connection of said tread blocks to form said device, and a twisted heel piece integral with Said concave portion.

3. A non-skid tire shoe of the class described comprising concave members, twisted heels integral therewith, hooks integrally formed on said concave members and means associated with said hooks to permit the concave members to be removably connected one to another to form the tire shoe.

4. In a tire shoe for use upon a vehicle tire casing to increase the traction thereof, a plurality of concave members, arms on each thereof, a twisted heel piece on each of said concave members, ribs integrally connected between the arms and heel piece of each of said concave members to reinforce the same, hooks integral with said arms and disposed in the same plane therewith, and means for removably connecting said hooks one to another to form the tire shoe of said concave members.

5. A shoe comprising a concave plate,

arms thereon, hooks integral therewith dis-v posed in the plane of said arms, a reinforced spirally twisted heel piece on said concave plate, the outer end of which is disposed at an angle with respect tothe sides of integrally formed on said arms, and a heel integrally formed on the outer portion of said concave plates. n

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABRAM MACMILLAN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES WV. HILLS, Jr., EARL M. HARDINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

